Thermostatic valve



1,633,903 l.. w. scr-IEPF K THERMOSTATIG VALVE` Jun@ 28, mi

Filed May 28. 1925 Patented June 28, 1927.

Urr s'rAas LOUIS W. SCHNEPP, F HUNTINGTON' BEACH, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO FIRST NATIONAL BANK 0F ANAHEIM, TRUSTEE FOR SNAP-O-STAT COMPANY, A COPARTNERSHII, OF ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA.

THERMOSTATIC VALVE.

Application led May 28, 1925. Serial No. 33,409.

My invention relates to a thermostatic valve that is particularly designed for au-t tomatically controlling the flow oi" gaseous fuel to the` burner oi a water heater, or like similar appliance, and the invention here-in set forth is an improvement oi the thermostatic valve that forms the subject matter of my co-pending application for patent, tiled February 19, 1925. Serial No. 10,280.

The principal objectsl of my invention are, to generally improve upon and simplify the construction ot' the thcrmostatic valve disclosed iu my aforesaid application, as wel] as other similar types of valves, to provide a thermostatic valve that is quick acting in controlling the port or duct through which the gas passes to the burner, to provide simple and eiiicient means whereby the entire valvestructure is adjustably supported on the water tank of a heater or the like, and further, to provide a thermostatic valve that is relatively simple in construction, capable -G of being easily and cheaply produced and which is positive and eiicacious in operation.

lllVith the `foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement ot parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the lower portion of a water heater and showing a thermostatic valve of my improved construction applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken ap roximately on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

ig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail section taken on the 4o line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

' Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of amodied form of the expansible diaphragm.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate. a practical embodiment of my invention, 10 designates a shallow cup shaped member that constitutes the valve housing and detachably secured to the front of said housing is a plate 11.

Secured to the lower portion of housing member 10 is the up er end of a resilient arm 12, and whent e valve is associated with a water heater and its burner, as illustrated in Fig. 1. the lower portion of arm 12 is-secured to the lower portion of the tank T, so that said housing occupies a posltion immediately adjacentfto the wall of the water chamber within the tank;

'l`o adjust the valve housing away from the tank and retain it in such adjusted positlon, a screw I8 passes through a lug 14 at tho top ofhousing l0 and the point of said screw bears directly on the wall of the tank.

Formedvin the'central portion of the rear wall ot housing 10 is an opening in which is fitted a bushing 15 and carried thereby and projecting rearwardly therefrom is a small cup shaped member 16, that.is pressed trom the central. portion of a disc 17 of sheet metal such as copper and which latter forms the rear wall of the diaphragm.

The front wall 18 of the diaphragm is formed of thin resilient sheet metal such as erman silver and the edges of the diaphragm walls 17 and 18 are secured to each other in any suitable manner. Formed in the outer portions of the walls 17 and 18 are corresponding annular ribs 19. The chamber within this dia hragm is filled with a readily ezpansible uid, preferably ether.

Projectlng rearwardly from the central portion of cap 11 is an annular Hang@ 2H, the inner edge of which constitutes a vaIve seat 21 and adapted to rest upon said seat is a disc valve 22 that is adapted to be engaofed by the central portion of diaphragm wal 18. Valve 22 is provided with a centrally arranged stem 23 that is arranged for sliding movement in a tubular member 24 that is formed on cap 11 within the flange 20 and arranged between said cap 11 and the valve 22 is an expansive coil spring 25 that normally retains said valve against the diaphragm wall 18. i

A duct 26 leads form the chamber within `flange 20 downwardly inside cap 11 to a ing-formed by members and 11 is a gaseous fuel supply pipe 29 and leading from a valve outlet that is formed in the lower portion of said housing is a pilot light sup-l ply pipe 31.

In order to cause my improved thermostatic valve to be especially responsive to temperature changes and to act quickly, the discharge end of the cold water supply pipe that leads downwardly in the tank T is arranged so that the incomingv cold water is discharged directly against the tank Wall at a point directly opposite the cu shaped member 16 that projects rearwar ly from the expansibl'e diaphragm (sce Fig. 2).

When the thermostatic diaphragm is contracted, as illustrated in Fig. 2, spring '25 forces valve 22 away from seat 21, into engagement with the central portion of disc -18 and with the valve thus unseated gaseous fuel passes freely from supply pipe 29 into the interior of housing comprising parts 1() and 11 and said gaseous fuel passes through the annular member 20, duct 26, duct 27 and pipe 28 to the burner that is located in the lower portion of tank T. When the temperature of the water heated in the tank by the burner reaches a predetermined degree, vthe expansible iluid within the diaphragm will expand, thereby forcing the dished wall 18 outwardly with-a quick snapping action,

with the result that valve 22 is seated and/ the further flow of gaseous fuel through the device to the burner is cut olf.

Obviously when the temperature in the tank lowers to such a degree as to cause the Huid within the da hragm to contract and the wall18 of said aphragm returns to its vnormal position, valve 22 will follow the Adiaphragm wall 18 under the influence ofv spring 25, thereby permitting gas to again flow to the burner where it will be i 'ted by the llame at the end of pilot light tu e 31.

In order to cause the diaphragm to act quickly or practically instantaneous, so as to permit valve 22 to leave its seat, the cup shaped member 16 of diaphragm wall 17 vis extended outward from the housing so that it normally contacts with the tank wall and the cold water discharging from supply pipe ,into the tank is'directed on to the surface of the tank wall immediately adjacent to said member 16, with the result that the temperature of the. expansible iiuid will be very qliliickly lowered and consequently permitting t at valve 22 that controls the inflow of gas may leave its seat.'

Thus as a result of my improved construction of thermostatic valve, the gaseous fuel flow control valve is caused to open and close practically instantaneously and which action is very much desired in water heaters particularly of the household variety.

In the modified -form of diaphragm illustrated in Fig. 6 a disk or disks 31 that are highly sensitive to temperature changes are arranged between the disks 17 and 18, such disk or disks 31a taking the place of the fluid within the diaphragm.

In producing my improved thermostatic valve I have endeavored to produce a thermostat that will act practically instantaneously after the manner of the bottom of an oil can which as will be readily understood for certain purposes, for instance in a household water heater as herein shown and described. The use of my improved tliei'mostatic valve provides for a continuous supply of hot water and the valve may be readily associated with any of thewell known makes of water heaters now on the market. The valve is not ai'ected by changes in as or water pressure and is particularly e ective due to the fact that the cold water entering the tank to re lace the hot water that is drawn olf disc arges directly against the point where the extension member 16 of the aphragm makes contact with the tank.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a quickactin thermostatic valve' that is relatively simp e in structure, capableof being easily and cheaply produced, readily adjusted tosuit diiit'erent conditions and which is very effective in performing its intended functions.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of myiinproved thermostatic valve may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the' one of which is normally dished against the other, a valve adapted to be engaged by said diaphragm when the same is expanded and moved into position to close said port, abushing in the rear wall of the housing and a hollow cup-shaped member projecting from one of the walls of the diaphragm through said bushin so as to make direct contact with the ta to which the valve is applied. D 2. In a thermostatic valve, a housing having a port, an expansible Huid containing diaphragm arranged within said housing, said diaphragm comprisin a pair of disks, one of which is normally (lished against the other, a valve adapted tobe engagedby'said diaphragm when the same is expanded and moved into position to close said port, a

bushing seated in the rear Wall of the housing, a. hollow cup-shaped member projecting from one of the walls of the diaphragm through said bushing. the outer portion of which'cup-shaped member is exposed for direct contact with the tank to which the valve is applied and a spring associated With said valve for unseating same.

3. The combination with a water heating tank and its water supply pipe, of a valve housing provided with an opening, said housing being mounted on the tank so that the opening in said housing is disposed adjacent to the discharge end of said water supply pipe, an expansive diaphragm comprising a pair nl" resilient disks, onel of which is normally dished against the other and a spring held valve within said housing. which valve is forced onto its seat by said diaphragm when the latter is expanded.

4. The combination with a Water heating tank and its Water supply pipe, of al thermostatic valve mounted on Said. tank, an expansive diaphragm forming a part of said thermostatic valve and positioned so as to 4be directly affected by the temperature of the water that discharges from said Water supply pipe and which diaphragm comprises a pair of resilient disks, one of which is normally dished against the other and the other disk having a centrally arranged outwardly projecting portion.

5.` The combination with a water heating tank of a thermostatic valve housing adjustably mounted on said tank, said housing having an opening, an expansible diaphragm arranged Within said housing for actuating the valve therein, which diaphragm comprises a pair of resilient disks, one of which is normally (lished against the other and the other 011e of which disks is provided with a portion that projects through the opening in the housing and occupies a position immediately adjacent to the wall of the tank to which the housing Vis applied.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my Signature.

' LOUIS W. SCHNEPP.

,lili 

